Magnetic supporting and carrying device



y 1967 c. w. ROSS MAGNETIC SUPPORTING AND CARRYING DEVICE Filed Feb. 23, 1965 FIG.I

FIG.2

Ll\ l\\\\\\\\l\\ INVENTOR. CHARLES W. ROSS WM 4 W FIG. 3

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,319,989 MAGNETIC SUPPORTING AND CARRYING DEVICE Charles W. Ross, 1100 Blackhawk Road, Moline, II]. 61265 Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,382 7 Claims. (Cl. 29465.5)

This invention relates to a magnetic device adapted for supporting and carrying magnetically attracted products. More particularly this invention relates to a device of this type which may be easily released from the magnetically attracted product after it is transported to a desired location.

In transporting and handling certain magnetically attracted products such as, for example, sheet metal, it is often desirable to carry the products from their surfaces rather than their edges. Often in placing a sheet metal piece in a desired location the edge of the piece will be moved in a recessed area that is not large enough to receive a hand and consequently other means must be utilized in handling it.

One of the methods is by supporting and carrying sheet metal by magnetic devices that may attach to the surface of the sheet metal rather than its edges. With this in mind it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a new and novel magnetic device adapted to magnetically attract and carry material. Primarily it is the object of the invention to provde a device capable of carrying a magnetically attracted product from one of its flat surfaces and to further provide on the device a unique method of transporting the product as a unique method of releasing it when desired.

Specifically it is the object of the present invention to provide a pair of parallel pole plates having lower edges and interjoined by permanent magnet means. At one end of and rigid with the pole plates are non-magnetic extensions with arcua-te shaped undersides continuing from the undersides of the pole plates. A lever is mounted on the opposite end of the pole plates to swing about a transverse axis and has an upper portion disposed above the plates and a lower portion adapted to extend beneath the underside of the plates for purposes of rocking the plates on their extensions and raising the plates off of the surface of the product being carried.

A handle, disposed in longitudinal relation to the plates, is fixed thereto above the plates- The lever is provided with a second handle transverse to the plates. This disposition of handles is important for safety reasons since, when carrying sheet metal it is necessary to completely control the disposition of the sheets since the edges are sharp. The right angle relation between the handles are, therefore, important since it gives a two-handled control of the sheets as they are being carried.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following description and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the magnetic device and of a portion of a metal plate attracted by the device.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device and plate shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the device in a different relation to the plate.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the device is composed of a pair of elongated pole plates 10, 11 spaced apart in parallel fashion and having upper edges 12, lower edges 13, and opposite ends 14, 15. The lower edges 13 and opposite ends 14, 15 normally contact an even or level surface of a magnetically attracted member, in the particular instance being a sheet metal element 20.

3,319,989 Patented May 16, 1967 "ice The lower edges 13 may therefore be treated as the underside of the device.

Longitudinally spaced permanent magnetics 21, 22 extend between the pole plates 10, 11 and are attached thereto by bolt and nut combinations 23, 24 extending through the respective plates 10, 11. The magnets 21, 22 may be of a conventional type and induces flux or a magnetic field between the pole plates 10, 11. A pair of transverse angle iron stainless steel structural elements 25, 26 extend between and are welded to the plates 10, 11 and are positioned in a protective relation to the magnets 21, 22. The magnets 21, 22 are normally brittle and may be broken by impact with a hard object.

A pair of stainless steel straps 27, 28 extend across the upper edges 12 of the respective plates 10, 11 adjacent the ends 14, 15. A vertically disposed U-shaped manual carrying handle 29 has its depending leg portions rigidly fixed to the upper surfaces of the straps 27, 28. When in use, the metal plate 20 and magnet device may be supported by the handle 29.

Identical plate extensions 35 are fixed to the ends 15 by welding 36 and project beyond the ends 15. In the preferred form the extensions are supported directly on the plates 10, 11 although it should be recognized that any indirect connection would be satisfactory. The ex tensions 35 have arcuate edges 37 continuing longitudinally and upwardly from the lower edges 13 of the pole plates 10, 11. The extensions 35 are of nonmagnetic material and serve as a heel for the plates 10, 11 to rock vertically.

On the opposite ends 14 of the pole plates 10, 11 is a U-shaped lever structure 40' composed of a pair of stainless steel straps 41, 42 interconnected at their ends by a rounded big-ht portion 43, the latter serving as a manual gripping or handle portion of the lever 40. The leg portions 41, 42 flange outwardly from their opposite end portions 45, 46 to more readily accommodate the hand of a person handling the magnetic device. The end portions 45, 46 normally are parallel to and lie alongside the outer surfaces and adjacent the ends 14 of the respective pole plates 10, 11 and are bolted thereto for pivotal movement about a transverse horizontal axis by a pair of pivot bolts 47, 48 respectively, a pair of washers 49, 50 being provided to ease the movement.

The end portions 45, 46 extend beyond the pivot bolts or members 47, 48 a greater distance than the distance between the bolts 47, 48 and the lower edges 13 of the plates 10, 11. Free'ends 51, 52 of the respective end portions 45, 46 are rounded for minimizing scufiing to the surface of the material being carried. Consequently by raising the lever 40, the lower edges 51, 52 will extend below the lower edges 13 of the plates 10, 11.

In operation, the device may be applied to the surface of a sheet metal piece 20 or other magnetically attracted member. The lever 40 is retained by one hand in a horizontal or parallel relation to the surface of the member 20. The device is supported by the other hand gripping the handle 29. The hand on the lever 40 operates primarily to guide the device and the hand on the handle 29 operates primarily to support the device. By having an angular disposition between the two handles 29, 43 the entire sheet metal piece is stabilized during the transporting thereof.

Upon reaching the desired location, the lever 40 is rocked to a position, as shown in FIG. 3, in which the lower ends 51, 52 are driven on to the surface of the sheet 20. This causes the pole plates 10, 11 to rock on their extensions 35 and to rise off of the surface of the sheet. At this time, the magnetic attraction of the plates 10, 11 is sufiiciently reduced that the sheet will gravitateor be dropped to its desired position. As one becomes skilled in the use of the device, he can by proper timing a in releasing of the magnetic hold of the device on the sheet, actually control positioning of sheets into stacks or other desired positions.

While only one form of the invention has been shown, it should be recognized that other forms and variations will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that while the preferred form has been shown and described in detail for purposes of clearly and concisely illustrating the principles of the invention, it was not the intention to limit or narrow the invention beyond the broad manner set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic device comprising: a pair of elongated opposed and parallel pole plates having opposite ends and undersides adapted to engage iron products by magnetic attraction; longitudinally spaced permanent magnet means attached to the pole plates for inducing a magnetic field therebetween; a pair of pole plate extensions of non-magnetic material, one of said extensions being rigid with and extending from the end of a respective pole plate and having an extension underside continuing with the underside of its pole plate, the extension undersides being arcuate shaped to afford a rocking surface at one end of the pole plates; a U-shaped lever having a pair of non-magnetic leg portions disposed alongside the pole plates and pivotally connected thereto to swing about a horizontal axis and vertically in respect to the plates, and a bight portion adapted to extend above the pole plates, each of the leg portions having a lower portion adapted to extend below the underside of the respective pole plates upon the lever being swung vertically to thereby rock the pole plates on the extensions when the device is magnetically held to the surface of an iron product; and a manual gripping member rigid with the pole plates disposed above the plates for carrying the device.

2. A magnetic device comprising: elongated pole plates having opposite ends and undersides adapted to engage iron products by magnetic attraction; permanent magnet means attached to the pole plates for inducing a magnetic field therebetween; plate extensions of nonmagnetic material, one of said extensions being rigid with and extending from the end of a respective pole plate; a lever having a non-magnetic leg portion pivotally connected to swing about a horizontal axis and vertically with respect to the plates, and having a lower portion adapted to extend below the underside of the pole Plates upon the lever being swung vertically to thereby rock the pole plates on the extensions when the device is magnetically held to the surface of an iron product; and a manual gripping member rigid with the pole plates disposed above the plates for carrying the device.

3. A magnetic device comprising: a magnetic structure with opposite ends and including elongated pole plates and an underside adapted to engage iron products by magnetic attraction; a structure extension of non-magnetic material rigid with and extending from one end of the structure; and a lever having a non-magnetic leg portion pivotally connected to the other end of the structure to swing about a horizontal axis and vertically in respect to the structure, and having a lower portion adapted to extend below the underside of the structure upon the lever being swung vertically to thereby rock the structure on the non-magnetic extension when the device is magnetically held to the surface of an iron product.

4. A material supporting and carrying device comprising: an elongated magnetized pole plate structure having opposite end portions and an underside adapted for contact with a magnetically attracted member, and in which one end portion has a pivot thereon and the opposite end portion is composed of a non-magnetic material whereby upon the one end portion of the plate structure being moved into disengagement with the member the magnetic attraction between the device and member is minimized; a lever carried on the pivot on the one end portion to swing on the pole plate structure with a portion of the lever adapted to swing beneath the underside and to rock the structure on the opposite end portion when magnetically attached to the member and to thereby disengage said one end portion from the member; and handle means supported on the structure for carrying the device and member.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 in which the opposite end portion has an arcuate underside curved away from the magnetically attracted member.

6. The invention defined in claim 4 in which the handle means includes a first handle fixed to the structure and a second handle in angular relation to the first handle and fixed to the lever.

7. The invention defined in claim 6 in which the lever is supported on the structure to pivot about an axis substantially parallel to the underside, the second handle is substantially parallel to the axis, and the first handle is disposed substantially at right angle to the second handle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,539,891 6/1925 Wood 335285 2,733,949 2/ 1956 Russell 294-65.5

3,014,751 12/1961 Smith 294-655 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MAGNETIC DEVICE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF ELONGATED OPPOSED AND PARALLEL POLE PLATES HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS AND UNDERSIDES ADAPTED TO ENGAGE IRON PRODUCTS BY MAGNETIC ATTRACTION; LONGITUDINALLY SPACED PERMANENT MAGNET MEANS ATTACHED TO THE POLE PLATES FOR INDUCING A MAGNETIC FIELD THEREBETWEEN; A PAIR OF POLE PLATE EXTENSIONS OF NON-MAGNETIC MATERIAL, ONE OF SAID EXTENSIONS BEING RIGID WITH AND EXTENDING FROM THE END OF A RESPECTIVE POLE PLATE AND HAVING AN EXTENSION UNDERSIDE CONTINUING WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF ITS POLE PLATE, THE EXTENSION UNDERSIDES BEING ARCUATE SHAPED TO AFFORD A ROCKING SURFACE AT ONE END OF THE POLE PLATES; A U-SHAPED LEVER HAVING A PAIR OF NON-MAGNETIC LEG PORTIONS DISPOSED ALONGSIDE THE POLE PLATES AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THERETO TO SWING ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS AND VERTICALLY IN RESPECT TO THE PLATES, AND A BIGHT PORTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND ABOVE THE POLE PLATES, EACH OF THE LEG PORTIONS HAVING A LOWER PORTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND BELOW THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RESPECTIVE POLE PLATES UPON THE LEVER BEING SWUNG VERTICALLY TO THEREBY ROCK THE POLE PLATES ON THE EXTENSIONS WHEN THE DEVICE IS MAGNETICALLY HELD TO THE SURFACE OF AN IRON PRODUCT; AND A MANUAL GRIPPING MEMBER RIGID WITH THE POLE PLATES DISPOSED ABOVE THE PLATES FOR CARRYING THE DEVICE. 